Always Love - Pt 6 6th annual REALWorld Tksgiving marathon
by Mari217
Summary: Steve, Catherine, Angie and Cammie introduce DJ to a very important family member via Skype


_Sammy and Ilna I'm more thankful for your friendship every year._

_Real McRollers and readers, we are all very thankful for you, every day._

_**Part six of the sixth annual Thanksgiving marathon**_

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**Always Love**

"There's mio bambino, hello my angel." Nonna waved and Angie leaned as far forward as possible on Catherine's lap to wave back.

"Nonna! Hiiii Nonna!"

"Hello, my loves. And that can't be DJ! You said he was a first grader." Nonna shook her head. "This handsome boy has to be at least 8 years old!" Her wink at Steve had his mouth twitching in a grin.

"This is DJ," he said with a hand on his shoulder.

"Dis DJ," Angie echoed. "DJ see," she pointed. "Nonna!"

"Hello, sweetheart, look at you. More handsome than I could imagine, and such a good boy, everyone tells me. I'm so happy to meet you, even if for now it's on the Skype."

"Hi," DJ gave a little wave. "Nice to meet you," he added and Catherine smiled when he said, "Nonna means grandma, right?" and looked at Steve. "Joan told me that."

Nonna clapped delightedly. "Yes! And I'm so glad to have another polite young man in the family. I understand you're learning lots of new things. My Grace tells me you're one smart cookie."

"Cookie!" Angie clapped at the mention of her favorite treat and the adults laughed.

"Pretty soon you'll be getting some cookies from me, a little welcome package I know you'll share with Angie, sweet boy."

"You made cookies?" DJ's brow wrinkled. "For me?"

"Of course for you, darling, it's what I do. I love my family so I feed them. And you're part of Nonna's family now."

The boy's dark eyes lit. "Thank you, ma'am … I mean Nonna! I'll share with Angie, promise!" He smiled softly. "My first day here Grace made brownies. Just to say hello. They were awesome, right?" He glanced at Steve and Catherine."

"My bambina Grace is a wonderful baker already. And my Daniel told me they were her best brownies yet because she added extra of the secret ingredient." Nonna leaned closer to the screen and looked around dramatically. "Do you know what that is?"

DJ shook his head, his eyes widening at her conspiratal tone.

"Love, DJ. The secret ingredient is always love. That's why the meals my nipote and bella regazza make are extra delicious." She pointed to Steve and Catherine in turn. "You remember that, okay?

"I'll remember." He nodded and stood to hold up a hand. "It's always love."

"Of course you will. I know a good boy when I see one, and my Daniel was so excited to tell me you share his name. Did you know Daniel means God is my strength? Your name means strong and brave, and I can tell you're definitely both of those, just like my grandsons Daniel and Steven."

DJ beamed at the comparison and Steve gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Nonna?" DJ leaned closer to Catherine and hesitated a second as he considered something. "If you're Danny's grandma, how are you Steve's grandma, too?"

"Oh, my boy, you are a smart one. I'm Daniel's grandma because his mom is my daughter. I'm Stevens's grandma…" the kind eyes that matched Danny's in everything but color crinkled at the corners with her smile, "and Catherine's too, because Daniel and Steven are brothers of the heart. They chose to be family because they love each other like family."

DJ's smile grew impossibly wider as she continued, "In Italian, we say la famiglia. That means _the family_. And family, darling, is so much more than blood. That's why everyone who is family to Daniel and Grace are family to me." She looked at him pointedly. "Do you understand?"

His voice just above a whisper, he answered, "Yeah," as Catherine sniffed and placed a hand on the small on Steve's back.

Nonna turned her eyes to Angie and asked, "Can you say 'La Famiglia' for Nonna, angel?"

Angie bounced on Catherine's lap and repeated, "La F'mee-wa!" to everyone's delight. Even Cammie woofed softly.

"See, even Cammie knows," Nonna said.

"Of course she does." Steve nodded. "We'll have to make sure she gets a knot cookie - without the icing of course."

"Angie will be happy to lick it off for her," Catherine added with a kiss to her daughter's head.

"Sal dropped them at FexEd for me, just let me know when they arrive."

"Absolutely," Catheirne agreed.

"And there's a batch on its way to Joseph, too."

"You sent a lot of cookies all the way from New Jersey," DJ noted and smiled. "Danny showed me where it is on the map."

Steve chuckled and ruffled the little boy's hair. "Of course he did."

"Don't tease your brother, Steven." Nonna admonished with a grin. Checking her watch she said, "I do have to run. Angela's picking me up for a trip to the mall soon." She blew a kiss and Angie excitedly followed suit. "Bye, bye, Nonna's angel. I'll talk to you all soon. I love you all and I can't wait to meet you in person, pronipote." She pointed to DJ.

Leaning in to Catherine he whispered, "What's that mean?"

Smiling, she wrapped her free arm around him for a hug and gestured to the screen. "Let's ask Nonna what it means."

Steve's heart swelled as he was taken back to the day in New Jersey when he'd asked Danny what Nonna meant when she'd first called him nipote. Smiling broadly as he saw the child's face light when Nonna confirmed his thought, he bent to kiss DJ's shiny dark hair.

"Great grandson, sweetheart. It means great grandson."

#_End. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next part of the __6th annual REAL World Thanksgiving Marathon_ _tomorrow_

**_Stay tuned tomorrow as the marathon continues!_**

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